Armless sofas, occasional chairs, canopy beds, upholstery...and the list goes on: With a working title of “California Today,” interior designer Mark D. Sikes’ living-dining-bedroom furniture collection for Heritage Home Group’s Henredon brand will premiere 65 eclectic pieces in October at High Point. Sikes, whose cover-making interiors have graced Veranda and House Beautiful in addition to appearing in Architectural Digest, Domino, Luxe, Traditional Home and Lonny, is known for infusing his interior design practice, fashion line and follower-heavy Instagram acccount with an appealing California vibe.
His second furniture collection (the first is the Rattan Collection with Soane Britain) will debut in tandem with his first-ever, as-yet-unnamed book this fall. But eager fans will find his work on display at DIFFA’s upcoming Dining by Design charity event, for which he was named featured designer. Sikes chatted with EAL about the collection’s influences, his personal favorites and what it’s like to work with Henredon.
Sikes approached Skip Rumley, vice president and creative director at Heritage Home Group, two years ago with a presentation and concept for the collection. “I went right to Heritage Home,” shares the self-described “persistent” Sikes. “I didn’t have an agent or go out shopping the collection. I knew where I wanted to be.” He initially presented 150 pieces, working with the furniture company to narrow it down to “not only this eclectic mix of things, but also ‘big ideas’—pedestals, occasional chairs, screens—these big ideas that resonate.” Rumley shares, “Honestly, his aesthetic is great for any brand. It’s fresh, casual, sophisticated and simply beautiful. It’s an exciting new layer to the Henredon portfolio with a relevant, West Coast sensibility.”
The collection, which is being produced in both High Point, North Carolina, and Asia, is an answer to a question Sikes had himself: “I felt like if there was a need for me, there would be a need for someone else. These are things I want to use in every house I decorate. They would’ve looked good 30 years ago, but they’re also essentials that people will use forever. Curated, electric and refined—every single piece is casual and comfortable. The refinement of it appeals to retailers and commercially, but also to designers. We strike that perfect balance.”
Dining room by Mark D. Sikes for the 2015 Kips Bay Decorator Show House
Also launching is a complementary accessory collection, with mirrors, pedestals, objects and “beautiful boxes,” under Maitland-Smith, another member of the Heritage Home Group portfolio.
Does the designer have a favorite piece? “A couple,” Sikes says, before eagerly naming more than half a dozen. “A chinoiserie armoire that I love, based on an antique that I have; a bloom back French dining chair that comes with and without arms and a slipcover option; an armless sofa with a felt back with custom options; a burlwood Parsons dining table which is absolutely gorgeous; and a canopy bed made in a way where you can attach bed hangings and a valance, which also comes with a slipcover option for the headboard and footboard.” He continues: “Great cane occasional chairs and lounge chairs with natural fibers mixed in, and a high-back slipper chair, perfect for putting on your shoes or perching before you go to bed.”
As for his best-seller predictions, he says with a laugh: “Can I say all of them? I think all the upholstery will do amazing. The armless sofa that is just the right height and depth to work for the family room; and all the occasional chairs and slipper chairs are going to do amazingly well.”
